Psychotherapy & Technology

2014 Market Survey

Summary
Self Echo, a leading developer of technology designed for the mental health profession and to
enhance wellness, recently commissioned an online survey conducted by Sigma Research Group to
explore mental health clinicians attitudes and use of mobile technology in their practices. The study
surveyed 401 mental health clinicians from various specialties, including licensed professional
counselors, licensed clinical psychologists, licensed clinical social workers and licensed marriage and
family therapists. The respondents were from the Northeast, Midwest, Southern and Western regions of
the United States.
The survey participants answered questions related to their practice and openness to technology
to treat clients. While forty-two percent of the participating mental health practitioners indicated that they
currently utilize specialized software of some kind in their practice, the respondents also expressed a
desire for technological innovation to help treat their clients.
Many reported technology that collected clients affect and the general mental states in between
therapy visits would be useful in tracking their clients progress and improve treatment. Nearly threequarters of respondents (73 percent) felt that a mental health technology app that collects and aggregates
data on clients between visits would be useful to tracking client progress, and fifty-nine percent felt that it
was useful for treatment planning. Approximately two-thirds of respondents (66 percent) believed that
using a mobile technology app would improve the ability to treat clients. Fifty-two percent of
respondents felt that a mobile technology app would be useful in their assessment and diagnosis of
clients. Over two thirds (68 percent) reported that integrating additional data into treatment would
improve the clinical profession as a whole.
The survey respondents also indicated a need for technology tools to organize their practice. The
majority (64 percent) surveyed thought that a web-based organizational system would help them save
time and money. Thirty-nine percent felt that such a system would improve the organization of their
practice. While almost all clinicians use computers- with most using office programs and many using
specialized programs for the mental health field- a majority (55 percent) still reported that creating
session notes was the biggest organizational drain on their practice.
The survey data was analyzed by Dr. Shelly Gable, professor of psychology at University of
California, Santa Barbara and senior research director of Self Echo, LLC. The survey was conducted in
June and July 2014.
1

Participant Demographics
Total N= 401
Female: 303 (75.6%)
Male: 98 ((24.4%)
Breakdown of sample by occupation/licensing
Licensed professional counselor/ clinical counselor:
Licensed marriage and family therapist: 6.%
Licensed clinical social worker: 32.4%
Licensed clinical psychologist (PhD or PsyD): 27.4%

34.2%

Regions of the county:

Northeast: 25.9%
Midwest: 22.4%
South: 25.4%
West: 26.2%
Therapeutic orientation (N = 284; 117 did not answer with useable response)
CBT/DBT
162
57%
psychodynamic/humanistic
23
8.1%
family systems
4
1.4%
attachment/interpersonal
6
2.1%
mix, with cbt
43
15.1%
other, or mix with no CBT
46
16.2%

Information on Participants Client Base

Number of total clients in caseload:
Range 1-100
Mean = 38.48 (SD = 27)
Median = 30
Number of clients seen per week
Range 1-20
Mean = 14.45 (SD = 5.6)
Median = 15
Insurance vs. private pay
In-network provider for at least one: 65.6%
Out of network provider: 16%
No insurance: 18%
Cost per session
Range 10-500 (eliminated 1s and 900 answers)
Mean = 125/70 (SD = 57)
Median = 120
Percentage with some private pay clients: 82.3%
Of those with private pay clients, what % of total clients
Range 1-100
Mean = 42.21 (SD = 34.8)
Median = 32
Length of treatment for insurance client
Median = 16 weeks
Length of treatment for non-insurance client
Median = 12 weeks

Software products used in practice now

"Office/Related Programs (e.g., Word, Excel)"
72%
Customized Database created for practice
23%
Smartphone App given to client to provide information relevant treatment

8%

Specialized software specific to the Mental Health field 42%

Of the 42% using specialized software (42%, N=168/some listed more than one)
Therapy Notes
23% (39/401--9.7% of total sample)
SimplePractice 5% (8/401--9.7% of total sample)
Livewire
4% (7/401--9.7% of total sample)
My Client Plus 8% (13/401--9.7% of total sample)
TheraNest Mental Health
8% (14/401--9.7% of total sample)
ICANOTES
2% (4/401--9.7% of total sample)
Ginger.io
1% (2/401--9.7% of total sample)
Epitomax
1
1% (1/401--9.7% of total sample)
Other:
70%
Ones cited by multiple people
Avatar-5/401
Care Logic 5/401
CPRS 4/401; 1% total sample)
Epic 4/401
Office Ally 4/401
Therapist Helper 3/401

Administrative Responsibilities Associated with Practice

Elements that are taking more time that they should in rank order with %
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Creating Session Treatment Notes

55%
Filing Records/General Organization
50%
Insurance Billing and Reimbursements 44%
Diagnosis and Treatment Planning for each client
Scheduling/Session Confirmations
32%
Session Payment Billing
24%
Payroll for Staff 6%

36%

Desire to keep client's case notes, insurance information, and summary files in one place, online.
Agree
Neutral
Disagree

60%
23%
17%

Using a web-based organizational system for my practice would save me time and money.
Agree
Neutral
Disagree

64%
23%
12%

Use of Technology for Client Treatment

Interested in using technology to help treat clients.

Agree
73%
Neutral
18%
Disagree
9%
Being able to get additional data on clients would improve clinicians ability to treat them.
Agree
66%
Neutral
23%
Disagree
11%
Integrating additional data into therapy practices would help clinicians advance their profession.
Agree
68%
Neutral
24%
Disagree
8%
Clients are often unable or unwilling to tell me important relevant information in session.
Yes: 32%
Of the 32% that said yes
60% say that it interferes with treatment
26% neutral
14% say it does not interfere
How mental health practitioners believe that a software system that collects and aggregates data on
patients between visits, and digitizes paperwork, would be useful to their practice (rating of 4 or 5
on usefulness).
Tracking client progress
Treatment Planning
Assessment/diagnosis
Organization of practice
Saving time

73%
59%
52%
39%
36%